These are the men who sit a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the Church. When the President of the Church dies, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the presiding quorum of the Priesthood and thus of the Church. When the Lord so moves the Quorum, it acts to reconstitute the First Presidency by setting apart the Senior Apostle in all the world as the new President of the Church.

The next senior Apostle becomes the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. If that person is also called as a Counselor to the President, the Apostle who is third in seniority becomes the Acting President of the Twelve. Acting Presidents are not shown in this listing.

Twenty-six men have served as Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Of these, fifteen have succeeded to the office of President of the Church; eight have died in office; one was removed from office because of apostasy and excommunication; one was removed from office because of a reordering of seniority within the Twelve; and one is currently serving.